Those familiar with the Myst series will know some of what to expect: lush visuals (back in 1997), a detailed storyline, fiendishly clever puzzles, much mysterious machinery, and a need to respond to and interact with the environment in order to solve the game.

There are some important differences to the Myst series. First of all, rather than exploring a number of different ages, in Riven you explore one (albeit large) world, comprised of five islands. There are links to two other 'ages' but these are very sketchily developed and there is not much to explore here. There are some differences between the islands, but the radically different tones of the ages in Myst or Myst III is missing.

This has its advantages and disadvantages. The world you explore is much larger, and you can progress over virtually the whole world without needing to solve many puzzles, allowing even a casual player a good glimpse at the world of Riven.

However, it also means that the puzzles are less contained and linear than in the other Myst games. As well as a number of smaller puzzles, there are two major puzzles to be solved, clues for which are scattered throughout the islands. Even with the smaller puzzles, the control to open a vital door might be located a long distance away, or only accessible via a very circuitous route. This can add another degree of complexity to the puzzles. Having said that, there is a degree of logic to most of the controls which are based on the culture and lifestyle of the inhabitants of Riven. The puzzles generally also operate in a logical manner and relate well to the entire environment of the game.

In summary, a fantastic game that will engross you for hours in it's surreal loneliness and villanous intrigue.

Learning Curve: Takes a second

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